Loom for weaving fabric



United States Patent Claude Laval l 1 Avenue de Lavour, Castres, Tarn,France [21 Appl. No. 802,392

[72] inventor [22] Filed Feb. 26, 1969 [45] Patented Dec. 1, 1970 [32]Priority Feb. 26, 1968 [33] France [54] LOOM FOR WEAVING FABRIC 10Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S.Cl 139/125 [51 1 Int. Cl D03d 47/24 [50] Field ofSearch139/122.] 127 56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,152,2553/1939 Hefti 1.39/126 3,163,184 12/1964 Cherpin 139/125 3,378,040 4/1968Moessinger 139/125 F ORElGN PATENTS 971,273 9/1964 Great Britain 139/125Primary ExaminerHenry S. Jaudon Attorney-Chittick, Pfund, Birch, Samuels& Gauthier ABSTRACT: Weft thread handling mechanisms cooperating to cut,hold and facilitate shuttle pickup of the weft thread. External spoolssupply weft thread to the shuttle which carries it through the shed tothe other side of fabric. Elongated tip means and shuttle pincer hookmeans dislodge the leading end of the weft thread from the shuttlepincer hook. A cut and hold assembly acts on the trailing portion of theweft to cut it, to hold the end still connected to the spool and toposition it for pickup by the shuttle pincer hook on the shuttles nextpass.

Patented f Dec. 1, 1919 3,543,809

Sheet 2 .01 3

' INVENTOR I CLAUDE LAVAL ZW I WATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 1,1970 3,543,809

INVENTOR W was Wt WATTORNEYS LOOM FOR WEAVING FABRIC This inventionrelates to a loom for weaving fabric and more particularly to a loom inwhich the weft threads are supplied by external spools at both sides ofthe fabric and the shuttle has pincer hooks at each end for engaging theleading ends of the weft threads and drawing them through the shed.

An object of this invention to provide a loom which employs conventionalshuttle loom mechanisms and perhaps is even somewhat simpler in that noautomatic quill-feed devices are required.

Another object of this invention is to provide a loom which employs ashuttle having pincer hooks which effectively control the weft endsprior to beating up so that they do not become displaced during thebeating up. Another object of this invention is to provide a loom whichcarefully handles the weft threads so as to prevent thread damage fromoccurring.

In the past, looms have been proposed which utilized suction devices onthe batten beyond the selvage to grip the weft threads. These looms arerelatively expensive and subject to frequent breakdown.

Other loom proposals have utilized pincer mechanisms at a variouslocations for gripping the weft threads during shuttle travel, prior tothread cutting and after thread cutting. All of these proposals havebeen somewhat unsatisfactory because the weft threads are subject tohandling damage or to handling failures necessitating loom shutdown.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide a loom whichachieves a higher degree of operational reliability and causes lesshandling damage to the weft threads.

Generally speaking, the shuttle operation of this invention involves thefollowing steps:

a. The shuttle, starting from the left shuttle box, carries the leadingend of a weft thread in its left or trailing pincer hook through theshed stopping so that the pincer hook is even with the right edge ofthefabric.

b. The shed closes while the weft thread remains tightly held in theshuttle pincer hook.

c. The batten, holding the shuttle, and the'temple move toward eachother so that the temple piston opens the shuttle pincer hook to releasethe weft thread simultaneous with beating up.

d. The temple guide tip simultaneously contacts the preceding right toleft weft thread at a point slightly to the right of the right-handselvage. This preceding weft thread is still uncut from the externalright thread spool. The guide tip carries this preceding weft thread tothe cut and hold block located on the batten.

e. The cut and hold block cuts the preceding weft thread and grips theend which is attached to the spool. The gripped end becomes the leadingend for the next right to left weft thread.

f. The beating up is completed, the shed opens and the shuttle is kickedto the left, snatching in its right pincer hook the leading end of theweft thread from the cut and hold block. The shuttle stops in the leftshuttle box so that the right pincer hook is even with the left edge ofthe fabric. Steps b to e are then repeated.

The aforementioned objects and general description will be more clearlyunderstood from the following detailed description of the preferredembodiment shown in the drawings in which: FIG. I is a top plan viewshowing the shuttle in the left shuttle box and the batten in beating upposition;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view showing the shuttle moving to the right at theinstant of pickup of the leading end of the weft thread by the leftshuttle pincer hook;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view showing the shuttle in the right shuttle boxprior to the batten moving to the beating up position;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view, considerably more enlarged and detailed,showing the shuttle in the right shuttle box, the batten almost at thebeating up position, and the shuttle pincer hook just being opened torelease the weft thread; and

FIG. 5 is a view .in perspective of the right side of the loom, lookingdown from above, showing the shuttle just leaving the right shuttle box,the batten having completed beating up and retracted, the shed open, thecut and hold box gripping the leading end of the weft, and the shuttleabout to pick up the leading end with its rear pincer hook.

The loom in which this invention is employed is a conventionalnonautomatic shuttle type. It is not shown in its entirety as itsfeatures are well known. 1

An improved shuttle 101 travels from side to side and has symmetricalends on which are mounted left pincer hook 102 and right pincer hook 103by means of the shown screws. Both hooks are identical so only hook 102will be described in detail. Pincer hook 102 includes a rigid plate 104abutting I 106 is formed in spring plate and is shaped to cause theleading edge of a weft thread to wedge between plates 104 and 105 whenthe plates are together as when the shuttle picks on the fly. Whenplates 104 and 105 are forced apart (see FIG. 4), the weft thread can belifted free of the pincer hook by the temple at beating up time.

It will be understood that shuttles of different lengths can be used toweave fabrics of different widths and the same shuttle can be used forfabric widths varying by approximately 6 centimeters. Probably 1Oshuttles of different lengths would cover all foreseeable needs and,since the mounting of the pincer hooks is so quick and simple, only onepair of hooks is required for a complete set of shuttles.

The shuttle 101 comes to rest at either side of the fabric in a shuttlebox fixed to the batten 110 which swings in the direction of the warpthreads to beat up the weft threads. Adjustably mounted on batten 110(see FIG. 5) are cut and hold blocks 111 and 112 on the left and rightsides, respectively.

They are identical so only one need be described. The purpose of the cutand hold block is to receive the trailing portion of the weft threadafter it has been carried to the other side through the shed andto holdit and cut it. The held weft threads 203 and 204 are supplied byexternal thread spools 201 and 202 and intermediate the spools and thecut and hold blocks are adjustable braking devices 205 and 206.

Cut and hold block 112 has a horizontal shaft which extends from itsinner side. On shaft 115, a movable cutting blade 114 is pivotallymounted to scissors with fixed cutting blade 113 fixed to the inner sideof block 112. Also pivotally mounted on shaft 115 is rocker arm 116which has a stop 117.

The cutting action of cut and hold block 112 is produced by link 119which is driven at its lower end by a power source, such as a cam shaft(not shown). When link 119 is raised, the movable blade edge of blade114 scissors against the fixed blade edge of blade 113. As this occurs,stud 118 in movable blade 114 bears against and depresses rocker arm 116which normally is spring urged upwardly (limited by stop 117 strikingthe block). The holding function is carried out by the action of stud118 catching. the weft thread and holding it against the upper surfaceof rocker arm 116.

Batten 110 (also called a reed) is adapted to move toward temples 131and 14 132 during the beating up operation. Since both temples areidentical, only one need be described. Right temple 132 (see FIG. 5) ismounted on bar 133 which spans the width of the loom. The temple bodyincludes a thin guide tip 134 which has a concave end located quite nearthe selvage of the fabric. Two laterally extending shoulders protrudefrom the temple body and have apertures formed therein for slidablycarrying a piston 135. A spring 138 urges ring 139 (which is fixed tothe piston) against shoulder 140 which is nearer the guide tip. Piston135 has a-slightly conical head 136 and a collar 137 adapted to bearagainst the other side of shoulder 140. It will be seen in FIG. 4 thatpiston head 136 has a diameter slightly smaller than hole107 in pincer1), the shuttle 101 is in the left shuttle box, the leading end of thepreceding right to left weft thread has been released from the shuttlepincer hook 103 and the leading end of the next weft thread 203 isgripped by the cut and hold block 111.

The shuttle is then kicked away to the right (FIG. 2) and shuttle pincerhook 102 catches the leading end of weft 203 on the fly from cut andhold block 111. The weft is carried by the shuttle through the sheduntil it reaches the right side of the loom and enters the right shuttlebox (F IG. 3). There, it is braked so that left pincer hook 102 isapproximately even with the right edge of the fabric. it will beunderstood that the shuttle rest position can be adjustably located bymeans of the shuttle length and braking devices. 7

The weft remains firmly held by pincer hook 102 until the shed closes.Slightly before beating up is fully achieved (see FIG. 4), the conicalhead 136 of piston 135 enters hole 107 in rigid plate 104. As batten 110continues to move toward temple 132, spring plate 105 is spread fromplate 104 by piston 135 and the end of the weft is pulled free by guidetip 134. To prevent snagging, even when batten 110 begins moving as awayfrom temple 132, spring 138 keeps the pressure on piston head 136against spring plate 105 to keep pincer hook 102 open.

While withdrawing the preceding left to right weft from pincer hook 102,guide tip 134 is positioning the preceding right to left weft (whichremains connected to right thread spool 202) in the nip between stud 118and rocker arm 116 of the cut and hold block 112. At the instant ofbeating up, the power source (not shown) drives link 119 upwardly,blades 113 and 114 out the weft and stud 118 and arm 116 continue togrip what has now become the leading end of the next right to leftweftthread.

The batten, batten, after up, then begins retracting from the temple andweft 204 begins to be drawn taut (see FIG. 5) across the upper surfaceofshuttle 101. Then, as shuttle 101 is kicked to the left, weft 204catches ,in pincer hook 103, the leading end is pulled away from the nipbetween stud 118 and rocker arm 116, and the shuttle-held weft entersthe shed to travel to the left shuttle box whereupon the just-describedoperation is repeated.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of this invention arepossible in light of the foregoing description. Therefore, it is to beunderstood that this invention is not limited to the details describedor illustrated, but rather is limited only by the scope of the appendedclaims. Y

For example, the cut and hold block assembly may be mounted in such aposition that temple guide tip 134 could be eliminated and the precedingweft could be seized by the block just before beating up at a point inadvance of reed travel. The block would then quickly retract to provideclearance for shuttle travel.

Another variation would be to brake the shuttle after passage throughthe shed with the rear pincer hook remaining in the shed. The pincerhook would be opened after the shed closed and the shuttle would befully moved into the shuttle box before beating up is completed.

lclaim: p

1. In a loom having mechanisms for shedding, picking and beating up,improved means for handling the weft threads comprising:

a. thread spools for supplying weft threads to each side of the fabric;b. pincer hook opening means and guide tip means mounted adjacent eachside of the fabric; c. a cut and hold assembly mounted ad acent eachside of the fabric, said said assembly having cutting means for cuttingthe trailing portion of the'weft threads after they have been drawnthrough the shed and having gripping means for gripping the cut endwhich remains attached to the thread spool; and

d. a pincer hook mounted adjacent ,each end of the shuttle for snaggingthe weft, said pincer hook having means for releasing the weft uponengagement with the pincer hook opening means, whereby. during heatingup, said pincer hook opening means engages one said shuttle pincer hookto allow disengagement of the inserted weft thread when the thread isengaged by said guide tip means. and said guide tip means cooperateswith said out and hold assembly to position the preceding weft thread insaid assembly where the'thread is gripped and cut and where the cut endis held in position to be engaged by the other shuttle pincer hook as itpasses into the shed.

2. Apparatus of claim 1 wherein said out and hold assembly is mounted onthe batten adjacent the beating up reed.

3. Apparatus of claim 1 wherein said cut and hold assembly has ascissors mechanism for cutting the weft and a nip forming mechanism forholding the cut end of the weft. one of the scissors blades alsocomprising one of the nip forming members.

4. Apparatus of claim 1 wherein said out and hold assembly is actuatedby means of a camshaft.

5. Apparatus of claim 1 wherein said thread spools are located at eachside of the fabric.

6. Apparatus of claim 1 wherein said guide .tip means and said pincerhook opening means are mounted on the temple adjacent each side of thefabric, which temple acts to stretch and roll the fabric.

7. Apparatus of claim 1 wherein said guide tip means has a relativelynarrow horizontal cross section near its thread engaging end and has aconcave vertical profile for ease in handling the weft thread.

8. Apparatus of claim 1 wherein said shuttle pincer hook includes twoplates pressed together by fasteners located near one end of the platepair and walls forming a hole in one plate adapted to permit entry ofthe pincer hook opening means therein to spread the plates to open thepincer hook.

9. Apparatus of claim 1 wherein said pincer hook opening means includesa piston which is shaped and positioned to engage and opensaid shuttlepincer hook.

10. Apparatus of claim 9 wherein said piston is springloaded to remainin engagement with and to keep open said shuttle-pincer hook duringlimited relative movement between said pincer hook opening means andsaid shuttle.

